The Spark
by michbacz
Summary: Hostage situation... Enough said.   Another short story about our favourite couple.  WARNING: Strong language


CASTLE belongs to ABC, of course. I own nothing... unfortunately (sad face)...  
But... "You can never have... OUR FREEDOM!"... yyyyy sorry... too much "Braveheart"... I wanted to say... "OUR IMAGINATION!" :)

Here is another story.  
Warning! STRONG LANGUAGE! Spoilers: none (ok, maybe in the middle of 2nd season)  
Once again sorry for any grammar mistakes. English language is a little challenge.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"The Spark"

xxx

"Mhmmmm... You smell nice Detective" - the psychopath whispered into her ear. "Like a wind... mhmmm... sweet, innocent wind. I like that in women."  
He forcefully grabbed her by her hair and licked her cheek.  
"And you taste great too" - he concluded and laughed. "I just like to eat you up, my dear."  
Kate Beckett shivered with disgust, but she couldn`t speak anymore. Just a couple of minutes ago Wilkes surprised her in his hideout. Teaser gun wasn`t set on maximum but it was enough to incapacitate her completely. Her muscles simply gave up on her and if he wasn`t holding her up she would land on concentrate floor.  
She was helpless and completely at his mercy.  
"How could I be so stupid?" - she thought, but there was no-one there to answer.

Xxx

It was one of the hardest cases in her professional carrier.  
Adam Wilkes was absolute sociopath who kidnapped, tortured, raped and murdered over thirty five women from New York City area. He was doing this for years and no one could ever find him because he never left anything to find.  
But he kept his souvenirs.  
Photos.  
Dozens and dozens of sickening pictures which one day suddenly appeared on the 12th Precinct doorstep.  
Bored psycho proposed them a game... and they accepted it to catch this sick son of the bitch.

Xxx

It took them over two weeks to finally find the connection between victims.  
Two weeks depraved of sleep, rest and private life...

Captain Montgomery practically took up quarters at the precinct...in reality they all had.  
Esposito was keeping tough with his family only by phone.  
Ryan talked to Jenny only couple of times.  
Kate spent longest hours in front of murder board trying to find something to nail that bastard.

And Castle... Castle has changed.

He was still her... I mean - their - Richard Castle.  
Geeky, cheeky, funny guy who kept them all sane during this all crazy investigation.  
He was working with them side by side, exchanging theories, clues and leads which could lead them to catching the killer.  
He was the one who forced them to eat something and take a nap before they would collapse on the floor from exhaustion.  
He was the one who was talking to them all the time convincing them that it is just the matter of time to catch their target.  
He was the one telling them all the time - not to give up - which they wouldn`t anyway - but with him it was so much easier.  
He was the one who kept them all together for two hellish weeks and she... I mean - them - loved him for that.

But Richard Castle changed during this case.  
He lost his Spark.  
He tried to hide it of course - but she knew.

The Spark was gone and she missed it with all her heart.

Castle always had a Spark... THE SPARK to be exact - she named it like that in her mind.  
This special "shine" in his eyes which kept him going.  
Something what pushing him forward - just like a wind was pushing the waves on the Ocean.  
His passion... his joy of life.

She knew the exact moment when The Spark disappeared... when it faded away.  
It was in the moment when he saw for the first time pictures left them by Adam Wilkes.  
In that moment The Spark was replaced by Rage.

Xxx

Fourteen days of chasing leads, interviewing witnesses and combining evidences.  
But they finally found the murderer.

Xxx

Adam Wilkes was rich, obnoxious, calm and without any morals.  
His house was like a maze... something like Bruce Wayne Manor but without any Batman gadgets in the basement...  
But there was other "stuff" in there...  
"Stuff" which made them ten times more mad than before.

They entered his residence backed up by full SWAT team and start searching.  
She was careful. She really was - but she couldn`t predict that there was a hidden passage behind one of the walls. She heard a noise behind her in last possible second and when she stared to turn around she felt touch of hand-helded teaser on her neck.

In the next second the world turned upside-down.

Her whole body went rigid and she felt like she was kicked by a horse.  
Muscles in her body suddenly tensed and relaxed at the same time.  
Her legs gave out and if killer wouldn`t hold her... she would end on the floor.

Xxx

(...)  
She was helpless and completely at his mercy.  
"How could I be so stupid?" - she thought, but there was no-one there to answer.

She turned head for a millimeter and captured eyes of her assailant.  
There was pure madness in them and for the first time in her life she was sure she was going to die...

"Let her go Wilkes!"  
...or maybe not?

She recognize the voice.  
"Castle?" - she thought. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

Xxx

He followed her... FUCK! He didn`t listen... as always.  
Kate specifically told him to stay in the car during this raid but she should know better. Castle was always doing what he wanted to do and no force in hell could keep him away from that bust.  
And now he was here... holding her gun!

Shit, shit shit, shit...!

GOD! She must`ve dropped it when she was attacked and Castle picked it up.  
All thoughts fled from her mind when she felt cold metal touching her right temple.

"Aaaaaa... Mister Castle I presume?" - Wilkes asked lazily tightening hold on his gun. "I think in books we call such situation - an impas?"

They were standing in long and dark corridor... It was about two meters wide and fifteen meters long.  
Castle was at the entrance of it and Kate and Wilkes were on the other.  
"Let - her - go!" - the writer repeated slowly.  
Psycho smiled - she felt it - and seconds later winced when he pressed gun barrel with much more strength.

Fuck! That`s gonna bruise!

"Let her go? And what would be fun with that?"  
"You let her go - you`re going to live. It`s simple!"  
Wilkes laughed.  
"What if I don`t care?"  
The answer to that was short.  
"Your choice"  
"Yesssss..." - he whispered. "My choice!"

Kate knew that it was "no-win" situation. Wilkes was keeping her directly in the line of shot and writer didn`t have a opportunity to take him out.  
She was sure that Castle knew it too but his all composure was contradicting this statement.  
Kate couldn`t believe it, but Rick Castle she knew for last couple of years - simply... disappeared.

Now in front of her stood guy who looked like he was forged in steel.  
Not even one muscle twitched on his face and he didn`t move even for a millimeter.  
He took up a position where his feet were apart and he was holding the gun with both hands aiming straight to his target.  
There was no emotion in his eyes. Nothing.  
If she had a strength she would laugh.  
Best - fucking - poker - face - ever!

If she survive this first she`s going to kick his ass for not listening to her, and next she`s going to buy him a drink.

"FREEZE! NYPD! DROP YOUR WEAPON!"  
Damn!  
Here`s come the cavalry...

Xxx

Captain Montgomery and SWAT Team busted through the door with guns ready ten meters behind Castle. Ryan and Esposito were also right there.  
Wilkes tensed and hide completely behind Kate.  
"Stop them Castle or she dies right now!"

He wasn`t kidding and they all knew it.

Writer extended his hand with gesture familiar only to cops. They froze immediately and they pointed guns to the hostage taker. Sadly it was obvious that either one of them had a perfect position to take Wilkes out.

The only one with good aim was Castle.

"Give up Wilkes!" - Montgomery`s voice was cold as ice. "You have nowhere to run."  
"Really?" - murderer laughed. "You think I didn`t plan it?"  
"Wilkes..."  
"No, dear captain..." - in psychopath voice they could clearly hear hysteric note. "I`ve gather you all here on purpose - so you can witness my final masterpiece..."

Kate closed her eyes.  
She heard it in his voice and she was sure they all heard it.  
It was a voice of suicidal maniac who want to go in his one last blaze of glory.  
And she knew that SHE was his last masterpiece.  
This was it. She was going to die.

Xxx

Wilkes was on fire.  
He was shivering behind her with anticipation and excitement. She felt his breath on her neck which made her nauseous but she couldn`t do anything about it.  
Teaser aftereffects took all her strength.  
"You thought you can defeat me!" - he screamed. "I will show you what I do to people who think that..."

xxx

"BY THE WAY CASTLE..." - Captain Montgomery suddenly broke into psycho`s tirade. "CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE?"  
All room fall in stunned silence.  
"Oh come on sir.." - writer quirked his eyebrow. "...where is fun - there`s Rick Castle"  
Montgomery didn`t sound very impressed.  
"We all told you to stay in the car, right?"  
"Yes... I think I remember this conversation..." - shadow of a smile appeared on his lips. "But you know me - I`ve got a little problem with authority."

Kate didn`t believe what she was hearing. What they were doing?

She felt Wilkes stirred in confusion behind her back trying to understand what was going on.  
"That is so typical of you Castle..." - Roy was continuing with disappointment in his voice. "I really had enough of your stupid moves."  
"Don`t hate the player - hate the game Captain!"  
"Shut up Castle!" - Montgomery snarled. " Who the fuck do you think you are? Derek Storm in "Hell Hath No Fury" saving his partner? Grow up!"  
"Naaahhhhh... I don`t think I want to grow up sir. It`s more fun this way."

WHAT?  
What the hell captain said to Castle?  
Did he really gave him PERMISSION to take a shoot?  
Jesus Christ!

And suddenly Kate understood IT WAS ALL A ROUSE!

Derek Storm... Hell Hath No Fury... Storm`s partner... hostage situation...  
In that book Derek Storm shoot the guy who was threatening his partner.  
Good God!  
That`s never going to work!  
Ooooooo shit!

They were baiting Wilkes to lose his momentum.  
He had a "full house" - they knew it. He could play his cards in any moment. He was so sure of himself. That was a trait of a good poker player.  
But a great poker player knew how to rattle opponents confidence...

Being a great poker player is not winning all hands you play but playing it in your best form.

And they were doing it right now...  
And they were succeeding.

The gun held by a psychopath brush aside mere millimeters from her head into direction of two arguing men.  
"Shut the fuck up all of you!" - Wilkes screamed.

That was everything what Castle needed.  
He pulled a trigger.

Xxx

For Kate Beckett the World suddenly slowed down.  
"It`s almost like in Matrix..." - she though silly and right away she understood how absurd it was.

She was looking into the barrel of her own gun when Richard Castle pulled a trigger.

It was impossible - she knew it of course - but in that moment she could swear that she felt the heat emerging from nine millimeter bullet passing her by.  
And it was really... really... close.  
Maybe a centimeter or two from her right cheek.

And then she heard it.

This one of the kind sound - which makes a bullet - when it penetrates human head.  
Usually this sound sickened her... but today she welcomed it with all her heart.

And Adam Wilkes was no more.

Without him keeping her up she dropped to the floor like sack full of potatoes.  
It was over.  
The darkness consumed her.

Xxx

She woke up couple of minutes later with total headache and feeling that someone was holding her.  
For a moment she felt disoriented but quickly she catch a very familiar sent of her partner.  
"What happened?"  
"When he dropped you, you hit your head on the floor." - he answered calmly. "You`re gonna have bump on your head for couple of days. We need to get you to the hospital... check for a concussion."  
"Later... " she muttered and asked. "Wilkes?"  
"Gone." - he said simply looking into her eyes.  
A silence fall between them for a moment.  
"Rick..."  
"Don`t... please... there is nothing to say." - he smiled sadly. "I did what I had to do."  
She squeezed tightly his right hand.  
"Thank you."  
He nodded his head and started helping her to get up.  
When she finally stood on her own feet she looked around on the people she worked with.  
"Thanks guys... I`ve messed up. I`m sorry."  
"Don`t be sorry Detective." - Captain Montgomery lightly squeezed her arm. "Such things can happen to anyone. We are glad you are all right."  
She looked at her friends and understood that Montgomery was right.  
They were all glad that she was safe.  
It was NYPD tradition... always look out for each other.  
They were all one family.  
"Thank you. Thank you all."

Xxx

If Kate ever thought that paperwork after "normal" shooting was pain in the ass - she really wasn`t ready for amount of it after recent events.

First of all. Police officer was taken hostage.  
Second. Serial killer was shoot dead during police raid.  
Third. Suspect was shoot and killed not by the member of New York Police Department but... by no one else but Civilian-Consultant-Assigned-To-Said-Detective-Who-Was-Taken-Hostage-By-Said-Serial-Killer...

Jesus Christ Mother Fucker With Cherry On Top!

She, Castle, Captain and all the 12th Precinct ended up in bureaucratic hell which made them all wishing to resurrect Adam Wilkes just to shoot him again for all this trouble.

It was long past 2200 hours when Kate and Castle (as last one left standing) finished what they were assigned to do.  
They didn`t talk much during this day - but they knew they need to talk everything out.

Kate put final touches on her rapport and dropped the pen on her desk.  
"God!" - she sighed dramatically. "If I never see any paperwork in my life it will be too soon."  
Castle smiled at her and took sip of coffee before he answered.  
"I support the motion! That`s why I`ve never wanted to be a real cop. To much of wasted paper."  
She quirked her eyebrows at him.  
"Wasted paper?"  
"What can I say - I`m pro-environmental guy!"  
"Sure you are Caste.. - Remy`s?"  
"Lead the way Detective"  
Fifteen minutes later they were sitting at their usual table, with tasty burgers in front of them. Milkshakes was also present... hers - strawberry, his - chocolate.  
They eat in silence for a moment. They didn`t need any words.  
It was familiar...  
It was comfortable...  
It was all they need at this moment.

"Kate...?" - suddenly she heard his quiet voice. "Am I a good person?" She dropped her burger and looked at him in bewilderment.  
"Excuse me?"  
"Do you think I am a good person?" - he asked with dead seriousness.  
She looked at him for a couple of seconds.  
"Yes Rick - you are a good man."  
He closed his eyes for a moment.  
"Why are you asking me about this Castle?" He hesitated for a moment.  
"Because today... I started to wonder - what if I`m not... I don`t know... good?."  
She took his hand in hers and squeezed a little.  
"You are thinking about Wilkes?"  
He nodded.  
"Don`t you think that a good person should... feel something? Some regret?"  
"And you don`t?"  
"I don`t..." - he shook his head. "Fuck! Kate!... Today I killed a man! I took someones life! He was a murderer... psychopath... monster... but, but he still was a human being. I should feel something about it, right? Good people feel regret, don`t they?"  
He wasn`t looking at her like he was afraid what he would see after this confession. Kate felt tears running down the sides of her cheeks but she did nothing to wipe them off. She stayed silent allowing him to say what he needed to say.  
"Good people should... They... Fuck! But... I feel nothing after him? Only rage... disgust... and pure anger about what he had done to all these women, their families... about what he almost did to you..."  
He was silent for a moment.  
"I am glad that he`s dead... I know that makes me bad person - but I`m glad. If I would be once more in such situation... I would kill him again, and again, and again... Just until I could be certain that he never show up ever again."  
Single tear rolled down his cheek and dropped on their joined hands... and Kate was crying with him.  
"Castle, look at me."  
When he didn`t comply, she repeated.  
"Rick... please look at me."  
Slowly his blue eyes met her green ones.  
"Did you know that Dick Coonan was first guy I`ve ever killed?"  
He looked at her confused for a moment before realization came into his eyes.  
"Dear God..." - he whispered. "Kate..."  
"No Rick" - she interrupted him. "Let me finish..."  
She took shaken breath.  
"In that moment... when I shoot him - I felt like my heart was torn apart. But it wasn`t for him... I could never ever feel sorry for that son of the bitch. He killed my mother, lots of other people - maybe dozens... Jesus! He even killed his own brother! I killed him without any hesitation and I would do it again... Does it make me a bad person?"  
"No but..."  
"Castle... I`m a cop. I should obey the law. And in the manner of speaking I didn`t broke it. I reacted just like I was train to do. He was a threat, he wanted to kill you, so I killed him first. But after that I was glad!"  
"But you cried..."  
"I didn`t cried after him. I cried after unanswered questions... I cried after my own pain... after my father... after my father... after myself. I never cried after Dick Coonan and I never will... Now tell me - do you think I am a bed person?"  
"Of course not!"- he answered heatedly. "You are one of the best people I know."  
"So tell me Rick - in what way I am different than you?"  
Silence was deafening.  
"Why did you kill him Castle?"  
"What?"  
"Tell me... why did you killed him?"  
"Because if I wouldn`t... he would kill... you."  
She send him a small smile.  
"Rick - you were trying to protect me. I already said this but I will repeat it one more time... and thousands times more if I have to... Thank you! Without you I wouldn`t be sitting here with you."  
"Kate - it wasn`t even an option." - he whispered. "He was already dead when he put his gun to your head. It was the point of no return for him. Thank god for Montgomery - he played Wilkes like a pro. "  
"That`s why he is the Captain" Another silent moment passed between them.  
"I`ve never told you this Castle but... I`m glad that you think of me as your friend."  
He smiled.  
"You are more than a friend Kate... you are Family."

And they sat there for a long time... Burgers forgotten, so was shakes.  
They sat there talking... comforting each other...

And Kate was happy.  
Why?  
Because for the first time in last couple of weeks she saw something in his eyes.  
Something what she thought would never come back.

The Spark was back...

Her Rick was back.

THE END


End file.
